This invention relates generally to a paperboard container that serves as a carrier for a plurality of packaged goods. More particularly it relates to a paperboard carrier suitable for containing a multiplicity of egg flats and which can be easily loaded at an egg ranch or a retail outlet.
Of course, when packaging eggs the container or carrier must be capable of supporting the eggs in a relatively stationary manner so none break either from being too loosely packed and sliding out or from too tightly packed and the resultant effects of compression. In present day food buying many consumers are electing to purchase in volume in order to effect price savings and consequently, appropriate packaging is needed to contain and hold a plurality of individual boxes holding the particular food items. Packaged eggs represent a particularly difficult containment and carrier problem due to their fragility. When consumers pick up eggs, the package containing them must be capable of supporting the eggs and providing resistance to breakage. The present invention was developed to provide a convenient carrier to hold a plurality of egg flats or boxes so that when the consumers elect to purchase in volume, he or she could simply pick up the carrier and after payment carry it away for ultimate consumption.
Thus, what had became needed was a relatively low cost, easy to assemble paperboard carrier that was functional for holding eggs and other similar items.
One common way of supporting and displaying eggs at the point of purchase is by nesting each individual egg within a molded pulp support tray. These can in effect become the individual packages supporting a plurality of eggs. These individual supporting trays can then be placed within a carrier for convenient carryout. Once the trays of eggs are in the carrier, they should be relatively locked in place and the carrier should have a convenient carryout handle. In addition, the carrier must be easy and quick to load with the packaged goods and attractive at the point of purchase.
The present carrier design provides all of the necessary design features and functionality and has proved to be a very popular carrier design. Yet another advantage of the design is that it can be shipped in a flat condition and then at an egg ranch or the retail outlet workers who are stacking product can easily package a multiplicity of separate product. These and other objects of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the specification to follow in conjunction with the attached drawings.